Runaway
by DreadfullyDraco
Summary: What happens when Draco Malfoy, the Head of Department of Missing Persons has a case where he has to find one witch that doesn't want to be found? Hermione Granger has turned her back on the magic world, but will Draco be able to convince her to return and leave behind her muggle life?
1. Chapter 1

Her feet ached as she walked, the pebbles crunching beneath her dark running shoes. With every single step she could feel her new shoes rubbing against her heel, causing more blisters. Still, she trudged on, never breaking her perfect rhythym. Her brown hair was tied down by two braids, with a hoodie covering it. Regardless of the overcast sky, due to the past few days of constant walking, she was much more tanned than she had ever been. Delicate freckles speckled her nose, and her usually dark hair was lighter due to the sun. As the hours passed by, she continued walking, stopping only for a small meal of apples and trail mix. Slowly darker clouds filled the sky, and rain began to fall in heavy droplets, soaking her hoodie within minutes. With a light groan, she pulled her hoodie tighter to her, in an attempt to at least block the wind that was howling through the trees on either side of the road.

Finally with a agitated growl, the girl stopped and shook off her backpack, where it flopped to her feet. Wiping wet tendrils of hair off of her face, she knelt down, and unzipped the bag. She stared at it for a moment, contemplating how to go about finding something in the overstuffed; magically charmed bag. With one last look, she finally shoved her hand into the bag, and groped around, searching for the familiar wood of her wand. Just as she was about to pull it out, headlights swept over the road behind her, causing her to immediately close the bag, and heaved it over her shoulders. Blushing with embarrassment, she hissed a mumbled curse.

"I must keep it together. No magic, no potions, and no owls. I can do this. I'm the brightest witch of my age. I must not break down."

And with that, Hermione Granger continued walking slowly, aware of the oncoming vehicle. As it approached it visibly slowed down, and Hermiones heart began to hammer with worry.

Finally she stopped walking, and turned towards the truck, just as it came to a standstill beside her. Frowning, Hermione realized three things. One, that she did not recognize this vehicle at all. Two, that no one she knew of could drive a muggle contraption such as this truck. And three, the person sitting behind the wheel was much too petite to be Ron, Harry or any one who would be trying to follow her.

As rain continued to drench the twenty year old witch, the door of the truck opened from the inside, revealing a small girl who seemed to be slowly righting herself. The mysterious girls hair was colored, and her blue eyes were wide with surprise.

"Excuse me miss, I'm not trying to be rude, or a bother... But would you like a ride? It seems to be incredibly nasty out there, and we seem to be going in the same direction." The girl flashed a quick smile, her dimples evident.

Hermione, dizzy with relief, felt herself smile back hesitantly, before wiping her wet hair off of her face. Pausing to look at the soaked road, a shiver ran over her and she quickly nodded. "It is quite horrid out here. I would love a lift, although I may get your seat wet..."

"It would definitely be warmer for you! And here, I think I have a blanket back here somewhere..." After a moment of digging the rainbow haired girl handed Hermione a heavy comforter, just as she climbed into the truck. "I'm Brandon, by the way- although everyone calls me Brandi! Where are we off to? I'm just headed about two hours north to my house, but I could drop you off anywhere."

"Nice to meet you as well... And as far as you would like to take me. My name is Violet, but you can call me whatever you would like." With that, Hermione turned to look out the window, watching as she left her old life behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

A glance at the clock signified that Mr. Draco Malfoy had a little more than an hour left of work. Sighing, he once again lowered his eyes to the paperwork piled on his desk. Another missing witch had been found later on with her boyfriend, evidently having run away for love. These cases were redundant- all of them were simply about run aways leaving to be with their so-called soulmates. Though some cases were about abduction, and became heart wrenching stories, many were just a waste of time and resources, creating too much paperwork than the case required. Groaning with frustration, Draco leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. Nothing had been interesting lately at work, and even less so at home. With his last girlfriend having moved out recently, he had been spending much of his free time at the office, reading miniscule cases such as the ones piled on his desk. He had purposefully been avoiding his loft in hopes that he wouldn't have another run in with his ex.

Just as he sat up again to focus on the task at hand, a small paper airplane zoomed ingo his office, settling into a smooth landing on his desk. Frowning at the note, Malfoy slowly picked it up and unfolded it. Scanning it briefly, his features settled into an expression of vast annoyance and he rolled his eyes as he shoved away from his work and stood up. He quickly straightened out his robes, before walking out of his office into the main foyer of the Department of Missing Persons. Moving stealthily around the many desks, he made his way to the back of the room where a short, petite woman sat.

"Miss Shore, may I have a moment of your time?" His voice was low and gravelly, from lack of use throughout the day.

The young woman glanced up from her work, and quickly sat up straighter, her face turning a brilliant shade of red as she noticed her boss. "Of course you can, Mr. Malfoy. What can I help you with? Oooh, did you get my note?" She smiled widely, showing off her front teeth.

Carefully concealing a grimace, Draco nodded, and turned his eyes to the wall behind her. "Indeed, and with all due respect Miss Shore, why did this case come to me instead of an intern or an on duty investigator? It seems to be an incredibly dull case involving another twenty year old woman, therefore it is almost granted to be a simple run away story. Which of course is nothing of importance to me, so I am wondering, why you thought it should be sent to my office. I have stacks of paperwork to leaf through and sign, giving me no time for silly cases such as this." He dropped the note onto her table, and gazed at her icily.

Shores face went white with shock, and she nodded quickly, her hands fluttering over her desk. "Oh dear… I would never waste your time, Mr. Malfoy. Especially considering how much work you put into this department. This case caught my attention and I thought you would be intersted in it due to the fact that the woman actually went to school with you. She was even in the same year…. Where is it….?" Papers were now scatteted over her previously clean desk and her hands shook with embarrassment.

Dravo frowned lightly, and crossed his arms with an air of authority. "What was her name, Miss Shore? And why was this not in the note that you sent to me?"

"I wasn't thinking clearly. Here it is!" The document she pulled out was vastly larger in size than most cases, and she opened it before squinting at the name. "Do you recall a certain 'Hermione Granger' from school? It says here that she is quite famous from the war…. She was in Gryffindor."

Dracos eyebrows lifted a fraction, and it took him a moment to get over the shock. He pursed his lips, and narrowed his eyes as he thought for a moment, debating on whether or not to take the case. "I do believe that I have heard of her at one point or another." He reached for the document and opened it, looking at a picture of her on the front page, before turning; his cloak billowing out behind him.

The brightest witch of her age, Hogwarts herione, the Gryffindor princess was missing?

"And Shore?" He turned briefly, "You were right to send this to me. I will take this case- field duty and all." With that being said, Draco Malfoy stalked back to his office, his mind focused on one person: Hermione Jean Granger.


	3. Chapter 3

"I still do not understand why you of all people are the one in charge of her case. I mean, not to seem rude- but you are probably on the bottom of her list of people she would want to see. Not to mention you know nothing about her. Again, no offense, but in reality the tow of you honestly seemed to hate each other." Ginny Potter sat back on her swivel chair, a frown decorating her freckled face.

With a scowl, Draco ran a hand through his already disheveled hair, and looked down to his notepad, scanning the questions he still needed to get through. "I understand your concerns, Mrs. Potter, yet I remain the highest position within the Department of Missing Persons, and am also more familiar with her due to our few school years together. I know that we were not the most… Friendly of classmates, yet that does not mean that I did not notice some of her likes and dislikes, as well as her mannerisms, which could give one a head start in an investigation such as this one. Now, again with the questions. Has Miss Granger ever come to you with any problems or incidents recently that may have led to this disappearance?"

Looking over the Ministry workers shoulder, Ginny bit her lip and seemed to be in deep thought before shaking her head. "Nothing that comes to mind right away, Malfoy. She was having an on again off again courtship with Seamus Finnigan that started around a year ago, after her and my brother split… What else? Her work regarding the anti-muggleborn laws and prejudice was going well, not to mention SPEW, her organization for House Elves. Honestly? I can't think of a viable reason for her to leave, though I am sure she had one."

"You seem quite positive that she left of her own accord… Have you even entertained the idea of a kidnapping case, Ma'am?" Draco was jotting down information, and watching her questioningly- the very picture of professionalism.

"Of course not. She is the most adept witch that I know of, and she was also highly trained in combat arts. There is no way that she has been taken against her will. I mean- she has been notorious with her security after the death threats, -"

"Death threats?" Draco sat up straighter, alarmed at this revelation.

"Oh… Well yes. After the war, she was receiving numerous threats. More than both Harry and Ron combined. Saying she was going to pay for what she had done, and outlining her background, the fact she is muggleborn. Everything about her was picked apart. Some notes were just calling her out on how she didn't deserve the spot within the Golden Trio, and others were honest to Godric threats detailing how she would be murdered. She took it all in a stride though, with Harry and Ron to support her. Although…" Ginny paused, her face paling slightly. "I know she still receives some mail about how she isn't good enough and how her efforts within her organizations are pathetic… But I haven't talked to her about it lately. None of us really have. Harry and I with the wedding, and Ron with the split. None of us really have been talking to her lately. Maybe it was the pressure."

"Hmmm. So say she did leave due to the stress and pressure of her work and home life, where do you think she would go? Her parents have yet to see her either." Draco's mind was whirling with new information, slowly connecting dots.

"I'm not sure. She used to always talk about her grandparents farm though, I am unsure of where it is exactly…"

"Thanks for all your help, Mrs. Potter. I will be sure to keep you updated. And also, congratulations on your wedding. The two of you make a lovely couple." Draco nodded lightly, his expression stern as her stood to leave. "And if you think of anything else, just let me know."

"Of course… Thank you." Ginny lightly tapped her fingers on her desk, watching as the tall blonde left her office. Why in the world would Britain's most prestigious bachelor, slash billionaire want to be doing field work regarding Hermione, when he has not done any in the last three years.


	4. Chapter 4

Hermione fumbled her keys slightly, before fitting them into the lock, and swinging her cottage door open. Shifting her groceries, she kicked the door closed before walking through her small sitting room to the refrigerator. It had been four months since she had left the wizarding community, and she was doing fairly well for herself. She owned her own house, (mind you, it was only a two bedroom cottage with one restroom, and a combined dining and sitting area). Not that she needed much space for herself.

As she put away her groceries, she felt a slight pang of homesickness for her few friends. She had almost contacted Ginny once, but knew that she wasn't yet ready to explain herself. Not to mention the guilt that she would shove upon the red head. Not that she probably hadn't already guessed the reason. It was quite simple, really.

It had all started with when she was courting Ron and she had walked in on him another girl. Not once, not twice, but four times. It had took Hermione four different times to finally realize that she no longer trusted, nor needed him in her life. That is when she had engulfed herself in her work, trying to enable equality for all creatures within the magic society. She had received quite a bit of hate, and more than one notice saying she was fighting a lost cause, but she worked hard and had managed to push through new rights for muggleborns and laws regarding House elves.

That was the time she had hesitantly started dating again. Having a few flings with strangers, before running into Seamus Finnigan at a bar one night where they hit it off instantly. The first few weeks were steamy, and exciting, but things dwindled down when he started to tell her how she should act and live her life. They tried to patch things up a few times but his controlling attitude just wore her down. That was the same time she had found him in bed with another girl. But not just any other girl. Lavender Brown. The girl that Hermione had found Ron with the last time, and incidentally had just given birth to Ron's son. She had gone to Ginny and Harry to ask advice and the duo had told her that they would take care of breaking the news to Ron.

She never found out if they had, because she had packed up her stuff and left. She had realized that the love she held for magic was not worth living the sad, lonely life she had. Instead, she would recreate herself. Which she had done wonderfully.

She paused as she held onto a jug of orange juice, staring at an owl outside her window. Chills slowly ran down her back as she watched the creature groom itself. There was no way that anyone had found her. Not that she would get in any trouble… Hermione just hated the thought of having to face her old life. The mere thought of it made her feel depressed. With a quick shake of her head, she continued organizing her groceries, throwing the occasional glance at the bird. Finally, in order to ease her discomfort she walked to her patio door, and opened it, holding her breath. To her dismay the bird looked up at her and instead of flying off, lifted its left leg, revealing a scroll.

"Damnit." With a rather large sigh, she untied the paper, and regarded the owl with a rueful smile. "I have dog treats, but no snacks for you. Sorry." Her focus returned to the scroll, and she unravelled it slowly, a knot of worry in her stomach growing stronger.

Miss Granger,

Due to a shortage of adept Wizards and Witches, and a scarcity of

Witches and Wizards in general,

The Ministry of Magic is in the process of implementing a new law.

This decree will henceforth require all eligible citizens,

Above the ages of 18

To partner with another eligible resident.

If a suitable partner has not been independently obtained

Within the next (60) days then,

The Ministry will select one for you.

Regards,

The Minister of Magic

Kingsley Shacklebolt


	5. Chapter 5

Miss Granger,

Due to a shortage of adept Wizards and Witches, and a scarcity of

Witches and Wizards in general,

The Ministry of Magic is in the process of implementing a new law.

This decree will henceforth require all eligible citizens,

Above the ages of 18

To partner with another eligible resident.

If a suitable partner has not been independently obtained

Within the next (60) days then,

The Ministry will select one for you.

Regards,

The Minister of Magic

Kingsley Shacklebolt

Hermione stared at the paper for what seemed like ages, before turning around and heading back into her cottage. A marriage law? There had been rumours of one- in order to allow for headier and stronger magic users. Though, Hermione never thought that one would be implemented. It made sense to a degree, she admitted to herself as she poured a glass of water. The decrease in reproduction due to Voldemorts return earlier within the decade had left a hefty impact within population rates. The entire idea of the Ministry choosing a spouse was the part that struck Hermione as repulsive. In two months. The whole thing was preposterous.

A knock sounded at the door, shaking Hermione from her thoughts. Glancing at the window, she noticed with a frown that the owl was still there. How had it found her? Shaking her head to clear it, she slowly walked to the door, and peeked out of the peephole. Bright blue hair awaited her, and she grinned lightly, opening the door.

"Brandi- hey. I just have to change my clothes and I will be ready to go. I forgot all about it."

Her friend grinned, a piercing on her lower lip glinting as it caught the sun. "Violet, forgetting? That is almost unheard of! Must have been a strenuous day at the bakery! Or was it the library today?"

Hermione giggled, and ushered her friend in, before heading to her room. "What kind of outfit is appropriate for a beach bonfire?" She stared into her closet, realizing just how empty it seemed without any bulky robes in it. Instead, it was color coordinated with dresses, jeans, tank tops and hoodies. Everyday mugglewear that Hermione had just gotten used to wearing again.

"Wear that green dress- the strapless one. I simply adore it. Especially on you." Brandi winked lightly, and Hermione rolled her eyes, before grudgingly removing the dress from the closet. "How on earth did you ever manage to dress yourself without me?"

"I didn't ever have a reason to dress." Hermione muttered, before blushing. "I mean- like- I never had any outtings to go to. I just worked all the time. And my job always had a uniform, so it was simple." Shutting her mouth, she quickly pulled the dress on, and removed her hair from the ponytail it had been in. With a frown, she regarded her almost-blonde hair, which had been bleached by the sun, and sighed.

"Allow me!" Brandi practically pushed Hermione on to the edge of the bathtub, and quickly pulled a curling iron out of a drawer. With skilled movements, she was soon taming Hermiones wild locks.

"If you had asked me a year ago if I would ever trust a woman with teal hair to brandish a hot iron near my face I probably would had laughed my pants off. Yet here I am, and not for the first time." Hermione giggled lightly.

"And I'm surprised you still let me after the first time! You honestly looked like a hedgehog. I am still embarrassed about it." Brandi grinned, and smothered Hermione with hairspray. "Ready?"

With a quick glance out her window, the young which noticed the owl was gone, bringing a small pang of worry to the girl. Standing up, she looked in the mirror, and tried to shake off her nerves over the encounter with the bird. She needed this night out, especially after the news she had just received. "As ready as I ever am."

The sun was just setting as Hermione and Brandi made it to the beach, the warmth of it making Hermione relax a little more. Not that she needed to- the half bottle of wine on the way to the party had soothed her sufficiently. Holding onto Brandi's arm she followed her friend through the maze of people, loving how free they all seemed.

"Violet- you did show up!" Suddenly an arm was draped over her shoulders and a dark haired man was grinning at her. "Usually you just say you'll come to my parties and end up being a no-show."

"That was one time, Shayne. One time. And, I had the flu. Which, is a very legitimate reason to forgo a party." Hermione nodded lightly, before squirming out from under the arm. It wasn't that she didn't like Shayne. He just reminded her of Seamus, which was someone she didn't really want to be reminded of.

"Ah, but you were perfectly fine the next day, were you not?" The man had a smile on his face, yet he regarded her with cool eyes.

"Don't get your knickers in a twist. I'm here now, doesn't that count?" She smiled sweetly, before scanning the crowd for Brandi. Standing on her tiptoes, she looked again, though the blue hair was nowhere to be seen. "I have to go though. I will see you later."

With a quick smile, Hermione shuffled away, moving quickly through the crowd. She greeted a few people she knew, stopping to chat a few times, before finally spotting the back of Brandi's head. Walking up behind her pal, she laughed lightly.

"You would think that you would be easier to spot with bright hair, but you seem to have a knack for disappearing." Looking over to who Brandi was talking with, Hermiones smile faltered.

"She doesn't seem to be the only one with a knack for disappearing, now does she, Violet- is it?" Draco Malfoy grinned, though his grey eyes stayed cold as they stared at her. "Pleasure to meet you. Brandi was just telling me a few things about you."

It seemed like today was not Hermiones day.


	6. Chapter 6

After assuring her bright haired friend that she would be fine going off alone with Draco, Hermione fell into step beside him. Silently they strolled up towards a boardwalk, and he took a moment to look at the woman beside him. Her hair was very light brown, curled elegantly framing her tanned face. Freckles dotted her small nose, making her look younger than her twenty years.

Clearing his throat, Draco turned his gaze to the scenery around them. "Porthcurno, of all place, Granger? I would had thought that you would had gone off somewhere slightly exotic. South America, perhaps. It was a surprise to find you still in Britain."

"I anticipate that Britain is also the last place you chose to continue your search for me, was it not? You started with Australia, with regards to my parents living there, then you most likely looked closer to Scotland, due to my grandparents. You never anticipated I would go off on my own in the same country I seemed to have fled. Simple logic, really."

With a smirk, Draco looked over at the witch and shook his head. "Still the conceited little bookworm, aren't you? Seems that little has changed. Quite a shame, really. Such potential."

Stopping, Hermione put her hands on her hips and glowered at the blonde. "You have the gall to call me conceited?" Taking a breath, she stared past his shoulder. "Why are you here, Malfoy? What do you want from me? I already know about the marriage law."

"I'm here to make sure that you are still alive and of free will. I was hired by the Ministry in order to find you and ensure that no harm had come to you. Now comes the problem of bringing you back to London, for I am quite sure you will not go willingly, considering the factors you implemented to stay hidden."

Hermione slowly walked over to a bench, where she sat down, trying to sort through the mess of thoughts streaming over her. "Why do I need to go back now that you know I am safe?"

Flabbergasted, Draco paused. "All eligible persons have to be at the passing of the new Marriage Law, which is said to be early next week. My bringing you back has nothing to do with being a missing person. I've known your whereabouts for the last month. I have to ensure that you make it to the meeting in order to get your list of suitable partners." He winced at those words, wondering yet again what sort of witch he would get paired with.

"Do you know the exact date of this announcement?" She looked up at him, her face a mask of indifference. When had the Gryffindor Princess become so adept at hiding her emotions? Usually it was a skill for Slytherins, who had no choice but to hide their emotions.

"Why?"

"If I were to come back to… All of that, then I want to at least be able to fight for what I believe in. In no way, shape or form am I going to take a Marriage Law sitting down." Her brown eyes locked with his, and he saw the same drive in them as he had witnessed during the Battle of Hogwarts.

With a groan, he ran his hands through his platinum hair. As much as he hated the thought of a Marriage Law, her messing with it would just complicate his position to bring her back. Frowning, he watched her for a moment, debating whether or not it would be worth the extra stress. "Do you mean to say you are going to fight the law? What exactly are you going to do concerning it? And will you put together your plan in London or will you be staying in Porthcurno?"

Taken aback, Hermione smirked slightly, her eyebrows raised. "Of course I'm going to fight it! And why on earth would I go back into London until I absolutely have to?"

With a grim smile, Draco stared at the girl. "Because it would make my life a hell of lot easier. If you stay here, then I have to stay with you, for my job is not done until you accompany me back to the Ministry. So much for being brilliant."

**Hey guys! I just wanted to say thank you so much for all of your reviews, favorites and follows! Reviews are amazing and I love to hear your feedback! If you have any ideas, questions, and/or concerns then don't hesitate to let me know!**

**-Alannah-**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey- so I just want to say a huge thank you to the dragon and the rose, and Sakura Lisel. Love your reviews, and it is always a pleasure to see you guys helping me brainstorm! Thanks everyone else for reading, favoriting, following and reviewing!**

At first Hermione thought that the pounding was her head, working overtime from the information she had stockpiled last night. When it increased in rhythm, finally she opened, her eyes, and groaned lightly, slipping out of bed. "I'm coming. Hold you flippin' horses. Geeze, its only.." She glanced at the clock on her wall. "7:30."

Opening the door, Hermione glowered heavily at the blonde. "Why on earth are you here so early? We agreed on noon. That is four and a half hours away. Are you out of your bloody mind?"

Grinning, Draco stepped in, revealing a slightly agitated looking Brandi behind him. "Look who I met up with on the way over. Seems to me that you never told her that you left the party." Chuckling, he walked over to her kitchen, where he placed down coffee and donuts that Hermione had overlooked.

"Exactly. Do you know how worried I was? Especially since Shayne was flipping out looking for you too. It seems you promised him that you would meet up with him later and you are not one to forgo plans that I thought that something serious happened to you. I am not very happy with you. You owe me big time, girl." Hesitating a moment, she lowered her voice and looked past Hermione to the blonde who seemed to be making himself at home. "And that, would be a very sufficient apology… Who is he? And why have I not met him? Is that the reason you don't date? If so, then I completely understand. I thought you might had been waiting for me, bummer."

Hermione stared at her friend for a moment, before breaking out in laughter. "Absolutely not. He is just someone from school. An acquaintance of sorts. And before you get your hopes back up I am still, and will remain straight. Though if I ever want to experiment I know where you are." Still giggling, Hermione closed the door and made her way to her kitchen, where she hesitantly picked up a coffee. "And I am sorry about leaving. I was feeling under the weather."

Draco stared at the girl in front of him, completely astounded by her mannerisms near this girl. Never had he seen her seem so… Human before. It was always books, spells, potions and grades for her. Even when he passed her on the streets after school she seemed work oriented and cold. Not ever like this; happy, jovial and radiant. Shaking his head he looked over to the petite girl with blue hair.

"I never properly introduced myself last night, I'm Draco Malfoy. It's a pleasure to meet another friend of Her-Violets. Again, it is marvellous. What do you do? And how did you both meet?"

Taking a seat next to Draco, Brandi grinned. "Well, I was driving home a few months ago and happened upon this girl, absolutely soaked to the bone and I offered her a ride. The rest is history. We lived together for a bit, before she moved in here. Oh- and I am a hairdresser. I know, I know, but trust me- hairdressers are incredibly underrated. It's not always the easiest job!"

As the two bantered back and forth, Hermione turned her attention to a folder sitting next to the donuts. Pulling it towards her, she started reading through it, frowning lightly. Statistics on the number of witches and wizards including population rates, average income, diversity throughout Britain, marriage rates, and bloodline levels. Interestingly enough, muggleborns were still the lowest rate, purebloods being slightly higher and halfbloods being the vast majority.

Closing the folder she met Draco's gaze and frowned lightly, gesturing to the door. Ever so gallantly, Draco smirked, and interrupted Brandi's current story. "I am so very sorry, but I have some important business to attend to with Violet. Hence why I have come to Porthcurno. Please forgive me, but I do so hope to see you again soon. Perhaps we can have dinner later this week with each other."

Blushing, Brandi nodded, completely enamoured with the idea of the blonde. "Of course. Forgive me. I will see you both later. Violet- call me when you have chance." She grinned, grabbing her jacket before leaving.

"Interesting company you keep, Granger. Did you know that she once kissed a cousin of hers? They didn't know at the time but still… Intriguing."

Frowning, Hermione shot a look at Draco. "If I recall correctly you should know all about kissing cousins. Being a pureblood and all. The House of Gaunt being one of many families who began inbreeding in order to keep their blood status pristine in the eyes of society. Although, if you ask me, the thought of incest… Disgusting. Complete opposite of being pure."

"That's The House of Gaunt, not Malfoy. I don't know anything about that. And I was just remarking that I thought it was interesting, if not amusing that she accidently kissed her relative."

"I see. Then, I am sorry. I thought you were making fun of her, and she really is a wonderful person. And, in reality, in order for the House of Malfoy to keep the pureblood status they would have had to mingle with at least one other house that was inbred. It is just statistically logical."

At this point Draco looked absolutely disgusted and shook his head. "Can you just not be logical for once? Especially in regards to my heritage. Besides, we aren't arguing about blood status. We are here to discuss the Law. Remember, Granger?"

"Of course I remember! Don't even try to imply that I don't know what I'm doing, Malfoy. I am well aware of why we are sitting here. Trust me, I would not be sitting across from you if it was not necessary." Hermione glared, her arms stubbornly crossed as she stared down the pale man.

"Fine. Fine. I was just saying-" Sighing, Draco ran a hand through his hair. "Never mind. Let's focus."

"Honestly, I think we need to focus on the fact that the marriage and reproduction rates have been in a steady decline since the beginning of Voldemort's return to power. Not to mention how it's unethical to force ones' people into marriage. What else? Oh yes, of course. In your folder the one paragraph also shows that the number of muggleborns is increasing slowly, so it could be used as a factor to show that the Wizarding World would never necessarily go extinct. It will just be a slow battle back into a plentiful society. What do you think?" Hermione had been jotting her ideas down on a notebook, and paused briefly to look up at Malfoy.

"I think it's extremely strange to see you holding a muggle utensil instead of a quill and ink pot. Not to mention the lack of moving photographs. Don't you find it to be… Mundane? Boring? I mean, don't get me wrong, you have a quaint little home, it's just lacking. Don't you miss it?" Draco was staring at Hermione's dishwasher like it was some kind of foreign animal.

"That isn't the point. Can we get back on topic, please?" Hermione sighed, looking down at her notepad. "I honestly think this is all we need. Once the people understand that we are not in any immediate danger of extinction- Hey! What are you doing?" Hermione jumped up, and followed Draco into her room. "You can't just snoop through my place!"

"You don't even have any cloaks! Or robes! Do you even have your wand still? And these books- All muggle related. Who cares about Physics when you have abilities that contradict the basic principles?"

Hermione stared at him, her mouth agape in shock. "Stop!" When Draco continued to shuffle through her books, Hermione pointed her hand at him and yelled loudly, " _Immobulus!" _Before scurrying closer to him. "Do not dig through my things!"

Draco, completely immobile, locked his gaze with hers, glowering intently. After a moment, Hermione waved her hand lightly, causing Draco to groan in discomfort. "What in Salazars name, did you do that for?"

"Are you serious? You were digging through my things! Get out of my room." When he didn't move, she raised her voice. "OUT!"

Scowling, he turned and walked to the couch, where he proceeded to sit and give her a scorn-filled gaze. "So, you do still study magic then. What are you hiding in the bookshelf?"

With a growl of annoyance, Hermione turned to him. "Of course I still study magic! But I can't really have it out in the open, now can I? The only people I communicate with are human, and none of them have any idea about magic. How would I explain a moving photograph? Spell books? A wand? There is no way. Not without using magic to muddle their thoughts, which is not an option. And now that I've answered your question, how about you answer a few of mine?"

Pausing, Draco slowly met the brown eyed gaze of the girl. "What questions?" He slowly felt his stomach drop as he saw the determination she held.

"First of all, Draco, why were you the one who took my case? I know for a fact that you are too overpaid to be doing usual desk work like this. Even before I left you were Head of your Department. There is no way you would be the lead investigator unless you requested this case. And I want to know why you would lower yourself to look for a mudblood like myself. And second of all, Why the interest in my life? What does it have to do with you whether I read simple Math books or Charm books? If I tie my own laces, and wash my own dishes? What does any of this lifestyle have to do with you? Unless… You are planning on leaving London too. You wanted to see how I managed without it. That's what this is about. Has the pressure of being a complete and utter wanker gotten to you? Too many girls swooning over your money?" Hermione sat across from him, her eyes narrowed as she assessed him.

His stare turned glacial, and he sat up straighter. "I took your case because my department all agreed I would have insight due to our years at Hogwarts together. And as for wondering about your life, it was merely curiosity. I had no idea that someone could turn their back so easily on something that had seemed to mean so much to them. But alas, you didn't. You just acted as if you turned your back. Which, in my opinion, is even more pathetic.'

"Is that supposed to hurt my feelings? I know that you have never found me anything other than pathetic. Why are you still here? We both know that you have no reason to be."

Draco faltered, and dropped his gaze to his hands. "I have to bring.."

"Bring me to the Ministry. I know. But that does not mean sitting in my house and bringing me information. You are hiding something, Malfoy. And if you don't tell me, then I will not come back to London. What is it?"

The two stared at each other, before Draco finally reached into his dress pants, and pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket. "This is why I am here." He averted his gaze as he dropped the paper onto the coffee table.

Without taking her gaze off of Draco, Hermione picked up the paper, her heart hammering. If he was willing to stay near her, it had to be something big. She wasn't so sure that she really wanted to know the reason. Taking a deep breath, she unfolded the parchment, and quickly read the few lines written on it. Before re-reading it.

"This… This is ridiculous! It said that people have 60 days to get married… This… It isn't right. And how could they? You are supposed to be able to choose within the next two months. This is preposterous. You have no choice… Why didn't I get one?" Hermione's voice came out frantically, and she stared up at Draco, her heart heavy as tried to form a coherent thought.

"That's why I am still here, Granger. Why we, are still here. I need your bright little mind to figure out a way to stop the Marriage Law, so that you we don't end up wed." Draco's features were grim as he looked up at Hermione from across the table. "I need your help, and I wanted to make sure you still had an interest in Magical Affairs, or else I would be royally screwed.

Mr. Draco Malfoy,

It has come to The Ministry's attention that as

A popular figure within the media it would be

Most affluent to our cause for you to wed as early as possible.

For this to work, you must choose a viable candidate from the

Following list, and inform the Ministry immediately.

We will choose one for you if one has not been

Selected within the next week (7 days).

Pansy Parkinson

Millicent Bulstrode

Astoria Greengrass

Hermione Granger

Sincerely,

Kingsley Shacklebolt


	8. Chapter 8

Mr. Draco Malfoy,

It has come to The Ministry's attention that as

A popular figure within the media it would be

Most affluent to our cause for you to wed as early as possible.

For this to work, you must choose a viable candidate from the

Following list, and inform the Ministry immediately.

We will choose one for you if one has not been

Selected within the next week (7 days).

Pansy Parkinson

Millicent Bulstrode

Astoria Greengrass

Hermione Granger

Sincerely,

Kingsley Shacklebolt

He thought that maybe she would jump into action, and figure a way out of this mess. In all scenarios he had had run through his head, she was his saving grace. She figured out a miraculous argument, they retracted the law, and then they parted ways. Instead, he found himself staring at girl whose face was getting redder by the minute. "Errrr, are you alright there, Granger?"

"Am I alright? Of course I am not alright. Why do you not go off and marry any of your other three candidates? Is it because you thought it would be necessary to come, interrupt my life and then, if it doesn't work out as planned, go marry on to one of the better candidates?"

Stymied, Draco looked across the room out the patio door to the blue sky. Frowning, he considered lying to her, before sighing heavily. "I thought you would be the most capable of redirecting this law, so I came to you for help. And yes, if you had not been able to pull through I would most likely had chosen Pansy to marry, considering she is a good friend and I would be able to work out a deal of sorts with her."

"A deal of sorts?" Hermione sounded absolutely horrified.

Confused, he glanced at the girl, noticing for the first time she was no longer in the green dress from the night before, instead she was in an oversized shirt, with plaid pajama shorts on. Or were those men's boxers? "Yes, a deal of sorts. She could continue seeing other girls, and I could continue seeing other girls. Kind of an open relationship. Besides, Millicent is absolutely stark mad, and in a courtship with Blaise, and Astoria already broke up with me earlier this year, and I am quite certain she would never take me back. Now, are you wearing men's underwear?"

Hermione looked down at her pajamas, and shrugged lightly, "Yes. Now, can we stay on topic for any considerable length of time, please? I don't lower myself to ask what sort of feminine hair product you wear, do I? So, as much as it bothers me to say his, I think that going to London earlier is our best solution. This way we can collect signatures for a petition, and it would have more public and professional sway. So, I figure I will pack up my bags and be ready to go by at least… Four in the afternoon. What say you?"

Nodding stiffly, he stood up, and brushed off his pants. "Need help with anything?" Hermione shook her head lightly, and started to walk past him into her bedroom. "Alright then. I will go grab my things from my hotel. Meet back here shortly?"

"Sounds good to me." Hermione was already unpacking her closet, taking a few outfits, including dresses. It only figured that she would have to attend boring galas to spread the word. With a frown, she glanced around the room, before kneeling, and pulling out a heavy purse at the bottom of her closet. Reaching in, she groped around for a moment, before pulling out her wand. Grinning, she sat back on her bed, and began 'Accio'ing other necessities for her trip. As her clothes folded themselves, and her bags packed themselves, she began making a few phone calls.

Calling both the Library and Bakery were easy. Both the ladies loved Hermione, but understood when she told them she had to go to London for important issues. They wished her luck and both offered her a job when she got back from her trip. Then she phoned a few friends, letting them know, before finally making the big call.

"Brandi- hi. How was the rest of your morning… That's great! Yes, I know… Anyways, I was phoning to ask if you would mind doing me a favor… Yes I will bake you chocolate cupcakes in return… Yes. Um, I was hoping you would be willing to look after my house?.. London… That's the thing, is that I am not sure… It's a family emergency… Yes I am going with the blonde guy… Draco?... Why don't you trust him? You were flirting with him all morning… No, I am sure I will be fine… Please?... Thank you so much! You really are amazing. Okay, well I have to go… Awe, I'm going to miss you too. Thank you heaps!"

Hanging up, Hermione looked around, making sure she had everything she needed. The knot of nerves was growing in her stomach, and she worried for a moment that she might be sick. "I can do this. I just have to go back for a few weeks, make a petition, and voila. I'll be fine, and back here in no time. Besides, if it doesn't work, then I can still come back. I'll live… The Leaky Cauldron- shoot. I have to get a room." With that, Hermione picked up her phone again and started making calls preparing for her journey.


End file.
